Disgusted with my basses

[gm2_in_co]

I'm kinda new to gas having played the same bass for the most part for 35 years. (Gibson Ripper) But now in the past couple years my "collection" has blossomed to 10 specimens if you include my mariachi bass. Admittedly, most my basses are what would be considered cheap. Hell, even my "expensive" basses are cheap by the boutique examples posted here day in and day out.

But here's the deal: It seems like every time I bust out one of my treasures thats been sitting on the stand or in its case for a few months, the damned thing needs to be set up again. Is this normal? Sometimes it feels like I could be spending more time on setting up than I do playing which is a major bummer.

[OmnitzGarima]

What kind of setup is required? What basses do you have? I was going to make a comment, but without knowing what your "expensive" basses are it's hard for me to come up with something coherent.

Not that I was going to make a coherent comment anyway ....

[CDweller]

Yep, it's normal. These things flex with the seasons, and they go out of whack all by themselves. I can feel my basses change, sometimes in one day. It's particularly noticeable in the height of the strings above the fretboard.

Side note: Flea, the guy with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, switched to Modulus (graphite) because he got tired of the neck of his Sting Ray flexing.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by CDweller

It's particularly noticeable in the height of the strings above the fretboard.

Bingo! That's what's changing. Glad to know I'm not the only one though. Misery loves company.

[CDweller]

You can get handy with adjusting the truss rod, and this takes care of the neck changes. It's good to have someone show you how it works if you're not already familiar.

[BB-414]

Well, I've got to adjust the neck of all of my basses at least twice a year at the change of seasons if not even more often. Humidity is also a problem as it varies so close to the Baltic Sea.

But it's the same with my beloved Conn trombone: I even got a summer and a winter setting on this particular instrument. And it's very likely to detune if I play outside - like last Sunday.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by OmnitzGarima

What kind of setup is required? What basses do you have?

Well, it all has to do with string height and action. Neck shim, saddle heights, truss rod, or a combination of the above.

1) Gibson Ripper, pretty stable for 35+ years. Yay!

2) Tacoma Thunderchief, seems to need constant attention. Shimmed it and added a little bow a couple weeks ago. Now it needs attention again. I do have LaBella tapes on it so there is quite a bit of tension. I'm nervous to mess with the neck joint much on this since its only two screws.

3) Rosetti Bass 8, fairly stable thank God since there isn't much that can be done besides adjust the height of the floating bridge. The action isn't great but its a screwy neck anyway so I deal.

4) Dean Rhapsody hollow body, one of my main "go tos" and its been apart at the neck so many times that I'm afraid I need to put in inserts if I take it apart again. But right now its fretting out in several places so it needs to be done. (No saddle height adjustment on this crap bridge.)

5) Yamaha jazz fretless, fairly stable, but its raised up over the winter. Thinking I can probably lower the saddles and be done with it here.

6) Hamer SFB, another "go to" but its been in its case for awhile. Afraid what I might find.

7) Traben Neo, took it out the other day and the action is now too high. Haven't assessed the situation yet.

8) Electra p bass, new to me, but came off ebay all messed up. I wrestled with it for the better part of a day and gave up. Its awaiting $$$ and parts to be overhauled by a professional luthier.

9) Vantage 930B, a neck thru p/j, another new acquistion that I'm way too heavy handed for as is though it was supposedly "set up." (Yep, off ebay.) It starts buzzing if I even look at it wrong.

10) No name mariachi bass, I have no idea what set up would be on this which is a good thing because there's no way to make adjustments anyway.

11) Squier pbass fretless conversion, this one I bought knowing its all messed up. I'll either put a fretted neck on it before I worry about it or just sell it as parts. Wasn't bought to be a player as is anyway.

On top of that, both my acoustic guitars need attention right now. My Harmony Rocket seems ok, but there isn't much that can be done with it anyway. I haven't even looked at my Peavey Tele clone lately...

/heavy sigh

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by BB-414

But it's the same with my beloved Conn trombone: I even got a summer and a winter setting on this particular instrument. And it's very likely to detune if I play outside - like last Sunday.

I used to play trombone too! (Hard to avoid with a name like Glenn Miller.) I don't remember seasonal changes with my trombones though?

[Fly Guitars]

Necks do take some time to settle down. If you've changed strings recently, and made truss rod adjustments (and perhaps you have if these basses are new to you) it can take a while to get to equilibrium.

I'm guessing the amount of tweaking you need to do will reduce over time.

[MarTONEbass]

I combat the humidity and temperature changes here in the norheast by using Modulus basses. Set ema nd foget em. The graphite necks are super stable.

[sir juice]

Originally Posted by gm2_in_co

I used to play trombone too! (Hard to avoid with a name like Glenn Miller.) I don't remember seasonal changes with my trombones though?

that's what the tuning slide is for

[DerHoggz]

Originally Posted by gm2_in_co

I used to play trombone too! (Hard to avoid with a name like Glenn Miller.) I don't remember seasonal changes with my trombones though?

All that really changes is the tuning. Luckily we only have one tuning slide to worry about, compared to trumpets 4.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by sir juice

that's what the tuning slide is for

Yeah, if that's what we're talking, it was just a part of the daily routine... tuning, not adjustment.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by DerHoggz

All that really changes is the tuning. Luckily we only have one tuning slide to worry about, compared to trumpets 4.

God, I hope no one thinks that's what I'm complaining about. I DO NOT MIND TUNING MY INSTRUMENTS EVERY TIME I PICK THEM UP! /lol

[IanAllison]

gm2,

I was JUST in Fort Collins playing a show last week - what a gorgeous part of the world . . .

ANYWAY - I am in a similar boat in terms of having a bunch of instruments that all have their idiosyncrasies in how they're set up and how much the necks move when the weather changes. For me, the problem is the lack of consistent moisture. When the house heats up in the winter, moisture dives and my necks want to curl up like dead bugs!

I found a pretty simple solution. Grab a nice room humidifier that has a humidistat. Put it in the room that you keep your instruments in (assuming they're all in one room), set it between 35 and 45%, and worry no more!

It's all about consistency - especially in moisture content. The more consistent you keep it, the less setting up you'll have to do.

Good luck!

Ian

[jumbodbassman]

humidity is a killer for necks. you can either assume you will have to adjust the neck ever season change or set the action higher in normal buzz time and live with it the other times. not a great solution. i also added an airconditioner to my basement....

[ehque]

One word, Composite.

Two words, Carbon Fiber.

[JimmyM]

graphite, composite and carbon fiber is great if you like that kind of stuff. for me, not so much. so i learned how to do my own truss rod adjustments. not hard...basically you turn the nut until you reach the desired bow.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by artiseasy

I was JUST in Fort Collins playing a show last week - what a gorgeous part of the world . . .

Thanks Ian! Hodi's, Aggie, or Road 34? We may have crossed paths more than once as I grew up in the Minneapolis burbs and went to school in St. Peter.

Anyway, good advice on trying to keep the guitars in a more consistent room setting. The one I'm in with them probably fluctuates a whole bunch.

Let me know if you get back this way.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by ehque

One word, Composite.

Two words, Carbon Fiber.

Yeah, I'm sure that would work, but I'm not so much into modern instruments. Can't quite get with the only bass I have with active electronics even.